Christopher Columbus High School

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This article is about the school in Florida. For the school in New York, see Christopher Columbus High School (Bronx, New York).
Christopher Columbus High School
Christopher Columbus High School
Location
Miami, Florida, USA
Information
Affiliation(s) Roman Catholic (Marist)
President Br. Kevin Handibode
Principal Br. Patrick McNamara
Enrollment

1400
Type Private
Grades 9-12
Campus Suburban
Mascot Explorers
Color(s) Navy Blue, White, and Red
Established 1958[1]
Homepage www.columbushs.com

Christopher Columbus High School is a Roman Catholic, college preparatory, all-male high school set on a 24 acre campus in Miami, Florida. It was established in 1958 by the Marist Brothers who also form part of school administration and faculty.[1] With just over one hundred teachers and 1400 students, the student teacher ratio is 14:1. Offering the full range of academics, sports and clubs, it was recently selected, for the third time in a row, as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the United States by the Catholic High School Honor Roll of 2006. The school is one of only two private schools in Florida that compete in sports at the 6A level and as such, has a long history of winning championships. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, and is funded through tuition. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

Contents

[edit] Admission and academics

As a Roman Catholic institution, the school does not discriminate on the basis of race or religion in its admissions process. The school is funded by tuition with significant discounts offered for 2nd and 3rd children enrolled in the school. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

In order to graduate, students require twenty-four credits and a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. They must also complete seventy-five hours of community service by the end of their senior year. The academics at Columbus are based on a phasing system: Phase 2 classes are for the academically challenged who require more time to absorb a given subject, Phase 3 classes are for average students, Phase 4 refers to honors classes for the academically gifted, and Phase 5 refers to Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which have a college-level format and where academically-motivated students have the opportunity to gain college credit should they earn the proper score on the AP exam. Depending on a given phase of a class, a student will earn a certain amount of points, which are then weighted and averaged to generate a student's GPA, the average GPA being a 3.2.

Outside of Columbus HS cafeteria.
Outside of Columbus HS cafeteria.

Dual-enrollment classes are offered through both St Thomas University and Barry University also Florida International University . These classes enable the student to earn both high school and college credit for the course.

[edit] Mas Family Scholars Program

Begun in the 2005-2006 school year, the Mas Family Scholars Program is an accelerated program at Christopher Columbus High School. The program was begun to provide select Columbus students with a challenging curriculum comparable to the very best preparatory schools in the nation. In addition to having an advanced curriculum, the students in the program participate in extracurricular activities. Mas Scholars are encouraged to participate in sports and to encompass the ideal of the student athlete. Mas Scholars [2]

[edit] Faculty

Christopher Columbus faculty consists of over 140 teachers, many of whom have taught at or been affiliated with this institution for many years. The student teacher ratio is 30:1. A vast technology system connects all the classrooms and provides teachers with the latest software and online grading system. Parent, student and teacher communication is facilitated by these online technologies.

[edit] Social Life and Clubs

CCHS tennis complex next to gymnasium building shown on the left
CCHS tennis complex next to gymnasium building shown on the left

Although the school is an all male institution, the social formation of the students includes girls from neighboring co-ed St. Brendan's High School in after-school clubs. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, the Catholic all-girls sister school to Columbus handles the cheerleading for CCHS sports teams. Columbus High School also plays host to both Homecoming and Prom events each year for their students and their dates.

A wide variety of clubs are available for students. These include: Adelante (Yearbook), Chess Club, Close Up, Dominoes Club, Democratic Student Alliance, Drama Club, Fairchild Tropical Challege, Film Club, French Club, French Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Intramural Athletics, Key Club, Math Honor Society - Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Robotics Club, Salsa Club, Science Honors Society, Scuba Dive Club, Rho Kappa and History Club, Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, Speech and Debate, Squires Club, Student Activities Committee - S.A.C, Surf and Skate Club, The Log, Video Game Club, Weight Lifting, World Languages Club.

Columbus HS football field and stadiums surrounded by track (not shown).
Columbus HS football field and stadiums surrounded by track (not shown).

[edit] Sports

Columbus and its sister school, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, are the only private schools in Florida that compete at a 6A level. The sports program at Columbus has a long history of winning championships and developing successful athletes.

Varsity level sports offered are: baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, hockey, soccer, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track and field, water polo and wrestling. Columbus has defeated arch rival Belen Jesuit in football four straight years. It is anticipated that Belen may pose a legitimate challenge this coming year.

Junior varsity level sports include: baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, hockey, soccer.

Freshman level sports offered are: baseball, basketball, football and volleyball.

[edit] Campus

The campus is set over 24 acres[1] and includes several facilities for student and faculty use. There are four main academic buildings that are supplemented with a media center that contains a technical resource center, an auditorium, a TV news studio, a chemistry laboratory, a robot-fighting arena, a concession stand, and several offices. The science building contains a physics and chemistry lab. The school also has several computer labs, gymnasium, a tennis complex, a baseball complex, a weight room, football field, stadiums and track.

Columbus High School construction of Mas Technology Complex
Columbus High School construction of Mas Technology Complex

[edit] Campus expansion

In 2006, Christopher Columbus High School began construction on the three-story "Mas Technology Complex", which will contain administrative offices, computer labs, a large library, and a school store. The project is expected to be completed, in time to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary in Spring of 2008.[3]

[edit] Catholic Identity

As a Catholic institution, students are offered the opportunity to go to confession, attend Mass and various Catholic retreats. Catholic religious education is part of everyday curriculum yet students are also exposed to the various world religions in their regular history classes. St. Brendan's Catholic Church adjoins the school campus and is available for those students who need to spend some time with God either in private prayer or daily Mass as desired.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ a b c Christopher Columbus High School Web Site.
  2. ^ Christopher Columbus High School Mas Family Scholars Program (PDF). Adelante: The Christopher Columbus Alumni Newsletter (Spring 2005). Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
  3. ^ Mas Technology Complex (PDF). Adelante: The Christopher Columbus Alumni Newsletter (Fall 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-09.